I am a graduate student in the Department of Biology at UCSD.† I am currently
performing research in the laboratories of Jeff Long (Plant Biology Department,
The Salk Institute) and ShankarSubramaniam
(Bioengineering Department, UCSD).† The goal of my research is to understand the
transcriptional network architecture underlying polarity establishment and cell
fate determination in lateral organ development of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.†

My previous research employed forward genetic and molecular
biology methodology to identify genes involved in embryonic polarity and organ
patterning.† We have identified and
characterized a transcription factor gene family (HD-ZIP III) that specifies
apical and central fate in the early embryo.†
This gene family also directs dorsal polarity to most lateral organs of
the vegetative plant body.† The knowledge
of this pathway is almost exclusively based on genetic evidence.† We aim to add large scale as well as discrete
biochemical evidence to our understanding of this process.† In Jeff Longís
laboratory, I plan to take a top down approach and find direct targets of these
transcription factors through microarray and
chromatin immunoprecipitation methods.† I also plan to use genetic, molecular
biology, and biochemical techniques to elucidate feed forward and feedback
loops that modulate the action of these transcription factors.

In Arabidopsis,
robustness of key developmental processes is thought to be provided through
genetic redundancy and modularity of signaling networks.† The data obtained from our transcriptional
profiling and biochemical studies will facilitate computational analysis and
modeling to elucidate the underlying transcriptional network structure.† In ShankarSubramaniamís laboratory, I plan to analyze our microarray data to identify direct targets and binding
motifs of the HD-ZIP III transcription factors.†
After confirmation of these targets, I plan to use our data as well as
published data to reconstruct the transcriptional network in which the HD-ZIP
III transcription factors play a central role in lateral organ development.

Understanding the underlying network architecture to this
central developmental process will help us understand how redundancy and
modularity are utilized in plant development.†
Furthermore, the pathway that we are studying patterns leaf, vascular,
flower, fruit, and stem cell development.†
The information that we obtain from these studies can be directly
applied towards crop improvement for the goal of increasing the nutritional and
economic value of food products as well as toward the production of biofuels.